


flower language

by TheGreatCatsby



Category: Psycho-Pass
Genre: Asexual Character, Florist AU, Fluff, M/M, coffee shop AU, sugino - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 18:24:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,623
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6125903
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheGreatCatsby/pseuds/TheGreatCatsby
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sugo the barista meets Ginoza the florist.</p>
            </blockquote>





	flower language

**Author's Note:**

> Fluffy Sugo/Ginoza is necessary that is all.

Sugo never really paid attention to the flower shop across the street. He didn't pay attention to most of the shops. The street was quaint, off one of the main roads in the city, and everything felt a bit boutique and not quite his style. And yes, he'd opened up a coffee shop on this street because it would do better surrounded by other small shops, but that didn't mean he was the sort of person who would actually go browsing for small expensive trinkets. 

Until Akane said, “It's winter. We should brighten up the place.” 

The coffee shop, in Sugo's opinion, didn't need brightening. It had nice, soft lighting. Maybe that lighting did get a bit dark in the winter. There were bookshelves lining the walls. It felt cozy. 

“How do you mean?” he asked. 

Akane was practically bouncing on her feet, face lighting up. “Flowers. Just small ones for decoration, to remind people that things are still alive even when it's freezing outside. It'll make this place feel even warmer.” 

“I...I don't know,” Sugo said. 

“I'll go to the flower shop myself,” Akane said. “Books don't do it. You don't have the sun coming through the windows anymore. We need something.” 

“Fine,” Sugo said. “You can go. But don't do anything until you've talked to me.” 

“Right now?” 

“Yeah.” 

Akane shrugged off her apron and went into the back room. She came out a moment later bundled up. 

“I'll be back!” And she skipped out the door. 

Which left Sugo by himself. There weren't many customers. It was mid day, so he didn't feel bad letting Akane go check out this flower shop. He took out a book and started reading. Some science fiction novel that one of his customers had recommended. He found it a bit dry, hard to get into, so he was concentrating really hard when the door opened, and Akane was right in front of him by the time he noticed. 

“Sugo-san,” she hummed, and he jumped, looked up to see her grinning widely at him. She wasn't alone. 

Behind her was a tall, pale man wrapped in a black peacoat. He had black hair, tied up in a ponytail, and green eyes. He was really attractive. 

Sugo felt stunned by that thought. The only thing he managed to do was drop his book and blurt out, “Who-who's this?” 

“The owner of the flower shop,” Akane said. 

“Ginoza Nobuchika.” The man held out a gloved hand, and Sugo shook it. 

“Sugo Teppei. Nice to meet you. Um...can I get you anything?” 

“Tsunemori said you wanted to redecorate this shop,” Ginoza said. “I wanted to see it for myself so that I could offer the best advice.” 

“I was just going to buy some colorful flowers,” Akane said, shrugging. “Yellow ones maybe. But it might clash.” 

Ginoza smiled, soft. “It might.” He glanced up at the drink menu. “I might try something.” 

“Yeah?” Sugo rolled up his sleeves, a nervous gesture. Akane raised her eyebrows. 

“Something sweet,” Ginoza said, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his wallet. 

Akane left his side to get her apron from the back room. Sugo got to work making the drink. “So you own the flower shop, then?” 

“Mmm-hmm. And you own this cafe?” 

“Yeah. I like coffee.” It felt a bit silly when he said it like that, and he was glad he was turned away from Ginoza. His cheeks burned. 

But Ginoza said, “I like flowers.” 

Somehow that put Sugo at ease. He finished the drink, handed it over to Ginoza. “It's on the house.” 

Ginoza's eyes widened. “I couldn't-” 

“Akane dragged you all the way over here,” Sugo said. “The least I can do is give you free coffee.” 

“It's only across the street,” Ginoza said. He raised the drink to his lips, took a sip, and his eyebrows shot up. “Oh.” 

“Oh?” Sugo didn't want to admit to himself just how curious he was for Ginoza's reaction. 

“It's delicious,” Ginoza said, lowering the cup to show Sugo his smile. A wider smile than before, one that lit up his whole face. “Thank you.” 

“Of course.” Sugo smiled back. This was the kind of reaction he lived for. He knew he made great coffee, but not everyone appreciated it. But the way Ginoza was smiling, it looked like this drink had made his day. 

They grinned at each other, and then the door opened. Ginoza glanced back, seemed to realize that there were other customers, and inclined his head. “I'll come back tomorrow with some suggestions,” he said. “Thank you for the drink, Sugo-san.” 

“I'll see you around,” Sugo said, and then Ginoza was gone. 

Akane reappeared next to him with her apron and a knowing grin plastered on her face. Sugo wanted to ask her why she was looking at him like that, but then the afternoon rush began, and by the time he had a moment to himself, Akane's shift had ended. 

* 

The next day it was quiet, and this time Sugo was working with Mika. Mika tended to be grumpy, someone perpetually in need of another cup of coffee but never quite getting to the point where it actually worked to improve her mood. That was fine, though, because like Akane she could make delicious drinks, which made up for the scowl on her face. 

Sugo forget to mention Ginoza to her. As they were checking to make sure that everything behind the counter was well stocked, Mika turned her attention to the person standing by the register and said, “What's with the plants?” 

Sugo nearly jumped and turned around to see Ginoza standing there, two small potted plants in front of him on the counter. 

“Oh,” he said, moving forward. “I was thinking of redecorating the shop. This is Ginoza Nobuchika, the florist from across the street.” 

“Right,” Mika muttered, turning away to continue her inventory. 

Ginoza pushed the plants forward across the counter. “Tsunemori was right,” he said. “Flowering plants would clash.” 

Sugo examined the small plants in front of him. One looked strange but beautiful, deep greens and purples and he touched it to make sure it was real. It felt real, but it was unlike anything he'd ever seen. The other was a cactus, small and prickly, and he didn't touch it. It was also a dark green color, and the needles were small. He glanced up to see Ginoza watching him, playing with the sleeves of his jacket. 

“What is this?” Sugo asked, pointing at the strange plant. 

“A succulent,” Ginoza said. “They're lovely, aren't they?” He gazed at it fondly. “They're also very sturdy. That's why I picked these two plants in particular. They don't require much care, just occasional watering. They're strong, and will last you a long time. And they're understated, but beautiful in their own right.” 

“They are,” Sugo agreed, brushing his fingers against the succulent again. “I'd actually prefer easy to care for plants. I'm not that good at keeping them alive.” 

“They would look nice on the tables and on the shelves,” Ginoza said. 

“They would,” Sugo agreed. He could see these becoming a part of his shop more than he could see traditional flowering plants. “I...yeah. These would be great. How much-” 

“Free,” Ginoza said, and Sugo stared at him. “I mean, they're quite easy for me to find. You don't need too many because this place is small. I'd be happy to give them to you for free.” 

“You don't have to,” Sugo said. 

Ginoza smiled. “You gave me a free drink.” 

“You're giving me multiple plants. The least I could do is offer you more drinks.” 

Ginoza smirked. “If you insist.” 

“And dinner.” Sugo sucked in a sharp breath. He hadn't expected to say that. Ginoza's eyebrows shot up, briefly, before he nodded. 

“I'd like that.” 

“Tomorrow night?” Sugo asked. 

Ginoza nodded. “I could bring the plants over, help set them up before closing.” 

“That sounds good.” 

“You should,” Ginoza swallowed, then gestured to the two plants in front of him, “take these home. One of them. If you want. It's nice to have a plant at home.” 

Sugo nodded. The succulent, he found himself growing attached to. “I don't have any at home. I don't even have pets.” 

“It's nice to have something to come home to,” Ginoza said, playing with his jacket sleeve again. 

“It is.” Sugo turned towards the espresso machine. “Your drink.” He had, suddenly, the urge to tell Ginoza that he was single, to ask if Ginoza was single himself, but he didn't. Instead he made the drink and handed it over, and Ginoza took a sip and his face lit up like before. 

“I'll see you tomorrow,” he said. 

Sugo smiled. “I'll see you.” 

Ginoza left, and Sugo turned around to find Mika staring at him. 

“That was the longest talk about plants I've ever seen,” she said. 

Sugo laughed. 

Mika scowled. “You're weird.” 

Maybe he was weird. He felt like he was skipping around on clouds for the rest of the afternoon. All because of a couple of plants. 

* 

“This place looks amazing,” Akane said. 

She was talking about the plants that had been placed on the tables and shelves. Sugo agreed with her. It was a small thing, but the plants did transform the shop. It made it feel even more cozy, somehow. 

He pulled on his jacket and Akane grinned at him. “Have fun on your date.” 

“I didn't say it was a date,” Sugo told her. “It's a thank you dinner.” 

“Date,” Akane said. “I'm just glad it worked out.” 

“What worked out?” 

Akane laughed. “I saw Ginoza a few days ago and thought he looked like the sort of person you'd like. He was really caring towards his flowers. Just like you're really caring towards your coffee.” 

“That doesn't make sense,” Sugo said. “Are you telling me you set me up?” 

“Maybe.” Akane waved her hands towards the door. “It doesn't matter. Go have fun.” 

Ginoza was waiting by the door, and Sugo hesitated before going over. 

“I'm not going to burn down the shop,” Akane said. “I've closed up before.” 

“I know.” Sugo turned to her and smiled. “Thank you.” 

“For what?” Akane endevoured to look innocent and was failing. 

“You know what.” 

Akane laughed and Sugo turned and headed towards Ginoza. 

“Ready?” he asked. 

Ginoza nodded. 

It took all of Sugo's willpower not to grab his hand and hold it as they walked outside. 

* 

In Sugo's experience, what mattered wasn't what happened during a dinner date, but rather what happened after. 

Dinner dates tended to go well. Food was pretty much universally enjoyed by everyone, and Ginoza was no exception. It was easy to find natural lulls in the conversation and to be friendly when eating something delicious. Sugo found himself enjoying small things about Ginoza: his soft grins, the way his eyes would light up when talking about something he enjoyed, his understated sarcasm that sometimes came through. He wanted to get to know him better. 

Akane was right. He could use someone like that in his life. 

When they stepped outside it was cold, flurries drifting through the air around them. Sugo was shivering in his thick jacket, and it wasn't the ideal weather for those long important post-date walks. But he bit the bullet and asked, “do you want me to walk you back to your place?” 

“I couldn't ask that of you,” Ginoza said. “It's freezing.” He paused. “Unless you stayed to warm up for a bit.” 

“I could do that,” Sugo said. 

They walked close together, shoulders brushing. Ginoza's apartment wasn't far from the restaurant, but it was in the opposite direction of Sugo's apartment. 

“I must warn you,” Ginoza said as they entered the building. “I have a dog.” 

He did have a dog. The dog looked more like a wolf. Sugo had never seen such a huge dog this close, and Ginoza didn't seem to have any problem kneeling down and scratching behind the huge dog's ears. 

“This is Dime,” he said. “Dime, this is Sugo.” 

Sugo gave Dime a weak wave. “Hi.” 

“He doesn't bite,” Ginoza said, smirking. 

Sugo hesitated before bending over to pet Dime on the head. If dogs could smile, Dime would have. When Sugo pulled away, Dime licked his hand. 

“He approves,” Ginoza said. He shrugged off his coat and headed into the kitchen. “Can I get you tea?” 

“Yes, please,” Sugo said, taking off his own jacket. He took the opportunity to look around. Ginoza's apartment was well organized, very clean despite having a dog. And there were plants everywhere. Understated plants, not many flowers, on the window sills, on the coffee table in the living room. The furniture was minimalistic, but there was an ornate rug covering the living room floor, red and gold, and Sugo found himself staring at it. 

“That belonged to my dad,” Ginoza murmured. Sugo looked up to find Ginoza holding out a steaming mug of tea towards him. 

Sugo took it. “It's beautiful.” 

Ginoza nodded. “Come sit.” 

He and Sugo settled on the couch, Dime curling up at their feet. 

“I'm not surprised you have a lot of plants here too,” Sugo said. “But why plants?” 

“I like flowers.” Ginoza sighed, looking distant. His lips twitched into a sad smile. “My mother loved flowers. She said that they had a language. I think most people know that. Roses are for love, white lillies for death, that sort of thing. I think you can make them mean what you want, too. Sturdy plants, like cacti and succulants, are symbols of strength for me. They give me hope.” He laughed, soft. “That sounds silly.” 

“It makes sense,” Sugo said. 

“I spent a lot of time being hopeless,” Ginoza said. “But spending time taking care of other things helped me. It still helps. Knowing that some living things are made to survive with almost nothing, in the harshest of environments, and that some delicate things can thrive with the right care.” He shrugged. “It's a reminder, I think.” He glanced up at Sugo. “Why coffee?” 

“People love coffee,” Sugo said. “I like making peoples' days a little bit better. This is one way that I'm particularly good at making that happen.” 

“Your coffee is delicious,” Ginoza said. 

“And your flowers are lovely,” Sugo told him. He swallowed, placed his mug on the coffee table. “I...don't really know how to ask this. I really enjoy spending time with you.” 

Ginoza stared at him. “I do, too.” 

“I would like to, uh,” Sugo ran a hand through his hair, “go out with you.” 

“I would like that,” Ginoza said. “But-” 

“It's okay if you don't want to,” Sugo said quickly. “I don't want to pressure you into anything.” 

“It's not that,” Ginoza said, shaking his head. “I just don't want you to come into this with expectations that I can't fulfill.” 

“What kind of expectations?” 

“I don't have sex,” Ginoza said. “For some people, that is important. For me, it's important that it's not necessary.” 

“Okay.” Sugo nodded. “That's fine. But do you...” Sugo struggled for the words. 

Ginoza offered him a smile. “I don't like sex, or that sort of thing, but there are things I don't mind. Cuddling. Kissing. I would like to kiss you.” 

“I—yeah.” Sugo shifted closer to Ginoza, leaned forward and cupped his cheek. “Is this okay?” 

Ginoza nodded, his eyes bright. He moved forward, just a little bit, and pressed his lips to Sugo's. 

In that moment, Sugo felt warm and content and at home. The feeling that he'd always wanted to give to other people, Ginoza was giving to him. It felt right.


End file.
